#lohah

S&Storms&Scryers -> Rivers&Rust -> Harmonies&Harbingers -> Mists&Nests -> Ripples&Frogs -> Currents&Cyclones -> Bogs&Bolides -> Gardens&Gold ->

It took you a month, but you’ve finally reached the belltower. You’ve had plenty of help along the way; Lord Castleton left his stately manor (as far as mouseholes go, it was the finest you’ve seen) to meet up with you and act as your guide. His company was much appreciated – by the fourth night, he even started to join you in nightly prayers. It made the monotonous journey considerably more enjoyable to have another traveler at your side, even if he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. You passed the time by telling him the stories of Lady Trumpington. He was such a good listener you resolved to write him into the next tale somehow. Perhaps it was for the best that you had to walk so far. You’re now in the best shape of your life, which makes climbing this interminable staircase manageable. Lord Castleton looks a little winded, so you decide to take a break. There isn’t any rush, as far as you know. All you have to do is climb the tower and ring the bell at the top. SARAHSPRITE: My stars, dearest! It has been far too long! ELIZABETH: Hello, Sarah. It has been quite a while, hasn’t it? SARAHSPRITE: You look marvelous, darling. And your fine new gentleman as well. BARTHOLOMEW: Squeak? ELIZABETH: Ah yes. Pardon me. Lady Sarah Trumpington, Lord Bartholomew Castleton. SARAHSPRITE: Charmed. The mouse takes her offered hand in his paw and raises it to his lips. SARAHSPRITE: Such a courteous young man! ELIZABETH: What brings you here, Sarah? I was under the impression that you were out spreading the Gospel. SARAHSPRITE: I was, dear, but you need me more here now. ELIZABETH: I do? SARAHSPRITE: Your quest draws to a close, dear. It is, without question, the most important event in the world. ELIZABETH: What exactly will happen when I ring this bell? SARAHSPRITE: A hero – or heroine – must complete his – or her, of course – personal quest to fully understand the role assigned by fate. ELIZABETH: I see. ELIZABETH: What is my role? I know Tiffany is the Seer of Time, and that appears to entail seeing alternate timelines. SARAHSPRITE: Your role is most important of all. You are the Sylph of Hope. ELIZABETH: So I am involved with hope in some way. ELIZABETH: I like it. SARAHSPRITE: When you ring the bell, everything will become clear. And it cannot happen a moment too soon! ELIZABETH: What do you mean? SARAHSPRITE: Your gentleman friend needs your help most desperately! ELIZABETH: Who? SARAHSPRITE: Up you get! Up, up, up! She hurries you up the stairs, waving a gloved hand to shoo you on. Terrible thoughts race through your mind as you climb. Did something happen to Greg? Or James? Heaven forbid, Steve? The staircase ends at a wooden door with a humble brass handle. You ease it open and walk out onto the belfry. From this height, you can see entirely across the Land of Hymns and Hearths. Your house is a small speck off in the distance. The altar where you held your first Mass is an even smaller dot, surrounded by tiny lines that must be pews. You’re even high enough that you can look down on the stained glass windows depicting Skaia and the inhabitants of Prospit and Derse. Up here, you can marvel at the intricacy of the craftsmanship that went into their construction. Over your head is the bell. It’s enormous – it has to weigh at least a ton. The surface has been polished to a mirror sheen, and the clapper is so large you wouldn’t be able to wrap your arms around it. A single rope dangles down for you to pull. ELIZABETH: What is this symbol on the floor? In the middle of the pale gold-colored stone of the belfry is a strange sigil in white. It looks like six swirls, mirrored down the center with three on each side. The two on top branch meet in the middle and then extend down to branch off in a V-shape at the bottom. SARAHSPRITE: Heavens me! It’s the symbol of Hope. ELIZABETH: So this is part of understanding my role. SARAHSPRITE: I… yes, dear. I believe you should stand there and ring the bell. ELIZABETH: Alright, I will. SARAHSPRITE: Wait just a moment, dear. I… I fear it will be too loud for Lord Castleton. I’ll just take him back down to enjoy it from the ground. Ring it once we reach the bottom. ELIZABETH: Okay. You watch your sprite place her arm in his and float down towards the ground. An odd look on her face gives you pause, but you brush it off. If she was right, one of your friends needs you now, and this is the only way to help. When you can no longer see the two of them, you grab the rope with both hands and pull with all your might. The ringing is beautiful. It sounds almost just like the bell on the church back home, its harmonious clangs calling all to joyous celebration. You close your eyes and bask in the vibrations running down your whole body, feeling a rush as you start to sway with the tones. This is just too much to take. You drop to your knees, overwhelmed by the sensation of being exactly where you need to be at the just the right moment. As you lay down, you know that everything is perfect, everything will be alright, you and your friends can do anything together. Your consciousness slips away just as the bell swings loose from its yoke and crushes you.